Design

I want to tell you about two amazing products, Pixelapse and Invision. The two overlap a little bit, so you could choose just one of them — but I use both and I'll tell you why.

Doesn't everyone say to stay nimble, to be flexible? Yes, but you need to pick your battles and flex within some boundaries. When you go through a project with a client to build a new marketing plan and website … don't skimp on the process.

I'm excited about the future of web design/development. 

• Screen-size agnostic approaches like responsive design using media queries. 
• High resolution graphics. Apple has branded this high resolution display as a "Retina" display. Other manufacturers are beginning to come close to the same resolution level. No doubt, we'll only see increased resolution going forward.
• CSS3/HTML5 now in the mainstream.
• Hosted fonts (Google Fonts, Typekit, etc) are becoming more common and higher quality.

Enter the scary part

The process of including IE7 and now even IE8 in my workflow feels "post war" and not current, modern or exciting. I remember the beautiful day when I stopped supporting IE6 a few years ago — the world was full of CSS promise.

As the need for a strong online presence crystallizes for businesses, there are sudden calls for new websites: “Make it flashy, make it profound, make it digital!” Design matters, but the reality is that your website needs to be valuable to the audience and customers you serve.

When I discover a new product or service that is amazing, I have to share…especially when something small has a big impact. I recently discovered two new tools that help you speed up the development process by auto-slicing a Photoshop file and generating CSS3 for your layer styles.

Hunting is a statewide pastime in Texas, and there are plenty of hunting ranches from which to choose. Sonora Trophy Hunts wanted a website that showcased their game, amenities, and expertise in creating personalized one-on-one guided hunts for their guests.

When we talk to a client about their initial desires for a new website, 99% of the time the first comment is some variation of: I want a “clean” and “user-friendly” site.

MoxiePlay is the go-to website for women who love NFL football. Members are active on Facebook, but wanted an online hub where they could more easily talk teams, tailgating recipes, and maybe a little trash.

The day has come to stop focusing on Internet Explorer's limitations and start focusing on the other browsers that allow CSS3. It takes very little extra time, and you can add some sizzle with just a few extras in your CSS.

Every time I start a new project, I find myself struggling to choose between using Photoshop or Fireworks. They're both great, but I'm thinking of calling Fireworks my preferred choice for all web design, and here's why.